Display apparatus and method of using same

ABSTRACT

A housing, formed as a desktop computer or wall-hung display, includes a display screen, a data receiver for receiving audio and video data transmitted from an external device via a public switched telephone network, and a data separator that separates the received data into separated audio data and separated video data. The separated audio data is coupled to a speaker and the separated video data is displayed on the display screen. The housing includes a short range transceiver that couples audio and video data to the separator and a slot for receiving a memory card that supplies audio and video data to the separator. The housing includes an image sensor and microphone for supplying video and audio signals to a combiner that supplies combined audio and video signals to the network, transceiver and card.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an image display apparatus capable ofproviding a variety of attractive applications, and to a method ofproviding product information using the display apparatus.

BACKGROUND ART

One known method of displaying and playing back video and audio via apublic switched telephone network (PSTN) line using electronic media,such as personal computers (PCs) and portable phones, is to use acommunication function of such media (see, for example,http://www-6.ibm.com/jp/pc/desktop/index.shtml). Most desktop PCsinclude a display device, such as a cathode ray tube (CRT), and acentral unit processor (CPU). Typically, the display device and CPU arehoused in separate units. Most PCs are not easy to use. PCs including amain unit and a display device integrated in a single unit have problemsof installation space, usability, etc. PCs, such as notebook PCs, have aspace-saving design, but operation thereof is complex when used formultiple applications. Portable phones have a small display screen,making it difficult for a user to view the displayed content. The smalldisplay screen can provide only a limited amount of displayedinformation. The small screens of portable phones also have problems ofpoor usability and limited display area. Portable videophone deviceshave larger display areas than portable phones for viewing theexpression of the other party. However, portable videophone devices arerelatively large, and are frequently specific to one use.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a newand improved display apparatus having a space-saving design and having acommunication function that allows a user to easily access and utilizevarious applications. It is another object of the present invention toprovide a new and improved method of providing product information usingthe display apparatus.

In one aspect of the present invention, a display apparatus includes ahousing, a display screen disposed on a front surface of the housing, adata receiving unit that receives audio and video data transmitted froman external device via a public communication line, and a dataseparating unit that separates the received data into the audio data andthe video data so that the audio data is supplied to a speaker and thevideo data is supplied to the display screen. The housing is a desktopcomputer or wall-hung display and houses the data receiving unit and thedata separating unit.

In another aspect of the present invention, a display apparatus includesa housing and a display screen disposed on a front surface of thehousing, wherein a communication card is removably inserted into a slotthat is formed in the housing. The communication card includes a datareceiving unit that receives audio and video data transmitted from anexternal device via a public communication line. The housing includes adata separating unit that is coupled to the communication card in theslot and separates the received data into the audio data and the videodata so that the audio data is supplied to a speaker and the video datais displayed on the display screen. The housing is in the form of adesktop computer or wall-hung display.

The display apparatus preferably also includes an image capturing unitthat captures video data, a sound collecting unit that collects audiodata, a data combining unit that combines the video data captured by theimage capturing unit and the audio data collected by the soundcollecting unit, and a data transmitting unit that transmits thecombined data via a public communication line.

The display apparatus can also include an image capturing unit thatcaptures video data, and a sound collecting unit that collects audiodata, and the communication card. The housing further includes a datacombining unit that is permanently mounted in the housing and combinesthe video data captured by the image capturing unit and the audio datacollected by the sound collecting unit so that the combined data can betransmitted via a public communication line.

The data receiving unit and the data transmitting unit can beincorporated in a first module, and the data separating unit and thedata combining unit can be incorporated in a second module.

The display apparatus can also include an automatic audio and videoreceiving unit that automatically receives the audio and video datareceived via the public communication line. The automatically receivedaudio and video data can be stored in a memory card that can be readilyinserted in and removed from a slot of the display apparatus.

The display screen is typically any one of a liquid crystal displaypanel, a plasma display panel, an electroluminescent display panel, anda surface-conduction electron-emitter display panel.

The public communication line can be a mobile communication network. Thedata receiving unit can receive data using a mobile communication, andthe data transmitting unit may transmit data using a mobilecommunication.

In another aspect of the present invention, a method of providingproduct information includes the steps of capturing an image andcollecting sound on a portable phone equipped with acharge-coupled-device image sensor, storing the captured image and thecollected sound in a memory card that is inserted in the portable phone,connecting the memory card to a display apparatus, transmitting the datastored in the memory card to another party by designating a telephonenumber of the another party, and automatically storing the transmitteddata in a memory card that is inserted in a display apparatus in thepossession of the other party.

In another aspect of the present invention, a method of providingproduct information includes the steps of: (1) capturing an image andcollecting sound on a portable phone equipped with acharge-coupled-device image sensor, (2) wirelessly transmitting (to adisplay apparatus that is close to the portable phone) the capturedimage and the collected sound from a data transfer unit that is in theportable phone, (3) storing the transmitted data in a memory card thatis inserted in the display apparatus, (4) transmitting the data storedin the memory card by designating a telephone number of another party,and (5) automatically storing the transmitted data in a memory card thatis inserted in a display apparatus operated by the other party.

As a result of certain features of the present invention, a noveldisplay apparatus is provided having a space-saving design and having acommunication function that allows a user to easily access and utilizevarious applications. A novel method of providing product informationusing the display apparatus is also achieved.

Other advantages of the present invention will become apparent from thefollowing description of the preferred embodiments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1A, 1B, and 1C are respectively front, side, and rear views of adisplay apparatus of a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of one preferred embodiment of the displayapparatus of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a use of the display apparatus of thepresent invention;

FIG. 4 is of schematic diagram of another use of the display apparatusof a preferred embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of another preferred embodiment of the displayapparatus of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A display apparatus according to preferred embodiments of the presentinvention is now described with the drawings.

FIG. 1A is a front view of a display apparatus 1. As shown in FIG. 1A, adisplay area of a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel 12 is located atthe front of the display apparatus 1. Below panel 12 is a control panel13 including several “buttons” that can be used by a user to performvarious operations. A charge-coupled device (CCD) image sensor 11 of thetype employed in digital cameras is located equidistant from thevertical edges of display apparatus 1, above display screen 12. Ifdesired, a shutter and shutter release mechanism, similar to theseemployed in digital cameras, can be associated with CCD image sensor 11.The display apparatus 1 contains speaker 16 (sound output device) andmicrophone (sound collecting device) 17. As shown, in FIG. 1B, thedisplay apparatus 1 is a flat display having legs (or a display stand)116 at the rear face of the display apparatus 1 for allowing the displayapparatus 1 to stand on a desk in the manner shown in FIG. 1C.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the display apparatus 1 of FIG. 1.

The display apparatus 1 includes the LCD panel 12, the CCD imagecapturing device 11, a speaker 16, and a microphone 17 serving as asound collecting device. The display apparatus 1 further includescontrollers, including a data receiving unit 26 that receives audio andvideo data transmitted from an external device via a public switchedtelephone network (PSTN), a data separating unit 22 that separates thereceived data into the audio data, which is output from the speaker 16,and the video data, which is displayed on the display screen, a datacombining unit 21 that combines video data captured by the CCD 11 andaudio data collected by the microphone 17, and a data transmitting unit25 that transmits the combined data via a PSTN. The data receiving unit26 and the data transmitting unit 25 are included in a first module 200,and the data separating unit 22 and the data combining unit 21 areincluded in a second module 210. The term PSTN refers to a publiccommunication line that carries video and audio data by designating thetelephone number of the other party.

The data receiving unit 26 converts the data transmitted according to apredetermined communication protocol from the PSTN into a data formathandled by the data separating unit 22. The data transmitting unit 25converts the combined audio and video data derived from the datacombining unit 21 into a data format transmitted according to thecommunication protocol of the PSTN. The data receiving unit 26 caninclude a time-shift recording function (an auto-answering function). InFIG. 2, data is wirelessly transmitted to and received from the PSTN viaan antenna 18 using a mobile communication network, e.g. a cellulartelephone network.

The display apparatus 1 further includes a slot 14 into which isinserted and removed a memory card 41 having audio and video data. Whilethe memory card 41 is inserted in the slot 14, the memory card 41 iselectrically connected to the internal circuit of the display apparatus1 via a memory interface I/F. The memory card 41 can be, e.g., a postagestamp-sized flash memory card of the type known as a Secure Digital Card(SD). The audio and video data stored in the memory card 41 can be datarecorded in response to (a) the output signals of CCD11 and themicrophone 17 of the display apparatus 1 or (b) data transmitted from anexternal device.

A card reader/writer 27 writes data to the memory card 41, and reads thedata stored in the memory card 41.

In the embodiment described above, the image capturing device 11 and thesound collecting device 17 are housed in the display apparatus;alternatively, an external device, e.g., a camera-equipped portablephone 31, can be used to supply audio and video data to displayapparatus 1. In the alternative, wireless case, a data transfer unit 32is attached to the camera-equipped portable phone 31 for transferringdata from the camera-equipped portable phone 31 to the display apparatus1. The display apparatus 1 includes a wireless data receiver 15 and adata converter 24 for converting the data received by the data receiver15 into a format that can be stored in a random-access memory (RAM) 23that is disposed in the second module 210. The data can be transferredbetween unit 32 and receiver 15 via short-range data communicationwaves, such as infrared waves or r.f. waves, such as employed inBluetooth.\

As shown in FIG. 3, data can be recorded in the memory card 4 byinserting the card in a suitable slot of camera-equipped portable phone31. The memory card 41 is then inserted into the memory card slot 14 inthe display apparatus 1 for reading the audio and video data on the cardby card reader/writer 27. The memory card 41 inserted into the slot ofthe camera-equipped portable phone must be capable of being insertedinto the slot 14 and inserted and read by card reader/writer 27 ofdisplay apparatus 1.

Preferably, the display apparatus 1 has a telephone answering functionfor automatically answering a call whenever the user is absent from orunable to answer the call and for automatically recording data,including video data, in the memory card 41.

In the display device of FIG. 5, a communication card 120 replacesmodule 200 of FIG. 2. Card 120 includes (1) data receiving unit 26 thatreceives a composite signal including audio and video data transmittedfrom an external device via a PSTN, and (2) data transmitting unit 25that transmits a combined audio and video signal from data combiningunit 21 to the PSTN. Receiving unit 26 supplies a composite audio andvideo signal to data separating unit 22 that is permanently mounted inthe housing of display apparatus and respectively supplies audio andvideo signals to speaker 16 and display panel 12. Communication card 120is, e.g., a FOMA Module Card, available from NTT DOCOMO. Because card120 can be inserted into and removed from display apparatus 1 via slot140, the card can be used on other similar devices.

The display apparatus 1 can be any flat panel display, such as, but notlimited to, a liquid crystal display, a plasma display, anelectroluminescent display, or a surface conduction electron-emitterdisplay.

If the camera-equipped portable phone 31 is used for image capturing andsound collection, the CCD image sensor 11 of the display apparatus 1 canbe eliminated.

The display apparatus 1 including the CCD image sensor 11, display panel12, speaker 16 and microphone 17 can be used as a face-to-face videotelephone between users. The microphone 17 and the speaker 16 built intothe display apparatus 1 enable hands-free conversation without areceiver. If one communication party uses a camera-equipped portablephone, the display apparatus 1 on the receiver side provides a largerdisplay area than that of the portable phone, thus enabling details ofthe other communication party to be viewed in more detail. Once thetransmitted video (moving pictures) is stored in the memory card 41, thevideo can be played back together with audio. In this use, persons andthings at a remote place can be viewed on a large screen many times,which is more usable than transmission of video letters.

The camera-equipped portable phone 31 can also be used as an imagecapturing device and a sound collecting device. For example, in order toprovide product information to customers, a salesperson in a shop firstrecords video and audio data of the name, price, etc., of products inthe shop onto the memory card 41 inserted in the portable phone 31.Then, the salesperson removes the memory card 41, and inserts the cardinto the memory card slot 14 in the display apparatus 1. The salespersonthen calls the display apparatus 1 of a customer who is contacted inadvance, and transmits the product information read from the memory card41 via a public switched telephone network. If the customer is absent orunable to answer the call, the telephone answering function describedabove is used to store the product information in a memory card insertedin the display apparatus 1 of the customer. Thus, the customer is ableto receive the product information at the leisure of the customer, andis therefore encouraged to make a purchase. This service can be madeavailable to customers and prospective customers as electronicadvertisements. In this use, images captured and sound collected by anexternal device (e.g., the camera-equipped portable phone 31) are storedin the memory card 41, thus providing less restriction on the datarecording space. The data obtained using the camera-equipped portablephone 31 can be stored in the memory card 41 of the display apparatus 1via short-range wireless carriers, such as infrared waves or radiowaves, from the camera-equipped portable phone 31, as described above(see FIG. 4). This service is not feasible on traditional portablevideophones.

A moving image captured by the camera-equipped portable phone 31 or astill image transmitted from another user can be displayed on thedisplay apparatus 1. The display apparatus 1 can also be used as anelectronic photo stand.

The display apparatus 1 can also be a wall-hung display. This type ofdisplay enables voices and images of people to be transmitted to anotherparty. Any image (e.g., a seasonal still image scene) stored in advancein the memory card 41 can be displayed on the display apparatus 1, andthe display apparatus 1 can be used as an electronic ornament. Thedisplay apparatus 1 can continuously display moving pictures and soundat predetermined time intervals. Moving picture scenes, e.g., a babblingstream, rippling waves, bamboo trees swinging in the wind, etc., cangive a feeling of the season, or a specific mood or atmosphere.

1. An apparatus for displaying video data and deriving an audio outputcomprising: a housing in the form of a desktop computer or a wall-hungdisplay; a display screen disposed on a front surface of the housing; adata receiver for receiving audio and video data transmitted from anexternal device via a public communication line; and a data separatorfor separating the received data into separated audio data and separatedvideo data for causing the separated audio data to be supplied to andderived from a speaker and the separated video data to be supplied toand displayed on the display screen, the data receiver and the dataseparator being carried by the housing.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1,further comprising: an image capturing device for capturing the videodata; a sound collector for collecting audio data; a data combiner forcombining the video data captured by the image capturing device and theaudio data collected by the sound collector; and a data transmitter fortransmitting the combined data via a public communication line.
 3. Anapparatus for use with a communication card including a receiver forreceiving audio and video data of the type that is transmitted via apublic communication line, the apparatus comprising: a housing in theform of a desktop computer or a wall-hung display; and a display screendisposed on a front surface of the housing, the housing including a slotfor receiving and reading information on the communication card whilethe card is installed in the slot, the slot being arranged for enablingthe card to be easily inserted manually into and removed from the slotwithout using tools, the slot including a signal pickup arrangement forcoupling the received audio and video data to a dada separatorpermanently mounted in the housing; the data separator being arrangedfor separating the received audio and video data into separated audiodata and separated video data for causing the separated video data to bedisplayed on the display screen and the separated audio data to besupplied to a speaker while the card is inserted in the slot.
 4. Theapparatus of claim 3, wherein the housing includes another slot forreceiving a semiconductor memory card for storing audio and video data,the housing including an interface for supplying the audio and videodata stored on the memory to the data separator while the memory card isinserted into the another slot.
 5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein thehousing includes a data receiver arrangement for receiving a short rangewireless communication including audio and video data and for couplingthe audio and video data received via the short range wirelesscommunication to the data separator.
 6. The apparatus of claim 5,wherein the housing includes an image capturing device for capturingvideo data and a sound collector for collecting audio data, the housingfurther including: a data combiner for combining the video data capturedby the imaging device and the audio data collected by the soundcollector for coupling the combined data to the communication card; thecommunication card including a data transmitted for transmitting thecombined data via a public communication line while the communicationcard is disposed in the slot.
 7. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein thehousing includes a data receiver arrangement for receiving a short rangewireless communication including audio and video data and for couplingthe audio and video data received via the short range wirelesscommunication to the data separator.
 8. The apparatus of claim 7,wherein the housing includes an image capturing device for capturingvideo data and a sound collector for collecting audio data, the housingfurther including: a data combiner for combining the video data capturedby the imaging device and the audio data collected by the soundcollector for coupling the combined data to the communication card; thecommunication card including a data transmitted for transmitting thecombined data via a public communication line while the communicationcard is disposed in the slot.
 9. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein thehousing includes an image capturing device for capturing video data anda sound collector for collecting audio data, the housing furtherincluding: a data combiner for combining the video data captured by theimaging device and the audio data collected by the sound collector forcoupling the combined data to the communication card; the communicationcard including a data transmitted for transmitting the combined data viaa public communication line while the communication card is disposed inthe slot.
 10. In combination: a housing in the form of a desktopcomputer or a wall-hung display, the housing having a slot and a displayscreen disposed on a front surface thereof; a speaker; and acommunication card operatively disposed in the slot, the communicationcard being dimensioned and arranged so as to be easily inserted manuallyinto and removed from the slot without using tools, the communicationcard including: a data receiver for receiving audio and video datatransmitted from an external device via a public communication line; thehousing further including a data separator for separating the receiveddata from the communication card disposed in the slot into separatedaudio data and separated video data, the data separator coupled with thedisplay screen and the speaker for causing the separated audio data tobe coupled to the speaker and the separated video data to be displayedon the display screen.
 11. The combination of claim 10, wherein thedisplay apparatus further comprises an image capturing device forcapturing video data and a sound collector for collecting audio data,the housing further including: a data combiner for combining the videodata captured by the imaging device and the audio data collected by thesound collector for coupling the combined data to the communicationcard; the communication card including a data transmitter fortransmitting the combined data via a public communication line while thecommunication card is disposed in the slot.
 12. The apparatus of claim2, wherein the data receiver and the data transmitter are included in afirst module, and the data separator and the data combiner are includedin a second module.
 13. The combination of claim 11, further comprisingan automatic audio and video receiver for automatically receiving theaudio and video data received via the public communication line, theautomatic audio and video receiver being arranged to be coupled with aninterface for the memory card for causing the automatically receivedaudio and video data to be stored in a memory card.
 14. The apparatus ofclaim 1, further comprising an automatic audio and video receiver forautomatically receiving audio and video data received via the publiccommunication line, the automatic audio and video receiver beingarranged to be coupled with an interface for a memory card for causingthe automatically received audio and video data to be stored in a memorycard.
 15. The combination according to claim 13, wherein the datareceiver and the data transmitter are included in a first module, andthe data separator and the data combiner are included in a secondmodule, the apparatus further comprising: a receiver for receiving videoand audio data derived by a portable phone via short-range wirelesscommunication from the portable phone; and a data converter forconverting the data received by the receiver for supplying the converteddata to a memory disposed in the second module.
 16. The combination ofclaim 10, wherein the public communication line comprises a mobilecommunication network, the data receiver is arranged for receiving datausing the mobile communication network, and the data transmitter isarranged for transmitting data via the mobile communication network. 17.A method of providing product information, comprising the steps of:capturing an image and collecting sound on an image sensor of a portablephone; storing the captured image and the collected sound in a memorycard inserted in the portable phone; connecting the memory card to afirst apparatus as defined by claim 13; transmitting the data stored inthe memory card by designating a telephone number of a party; andautomatically storing the transmitted data in a memory card inserted ina second apparatus as defined by claim 7 and in the control of anotherparty.
 18. A method of providing product information, comprising thesteps of: capturing an image and collecting sound on an image sensor anda microphone of a portable phone; wirelessly transmitting to a firstapparatus as defined by claim 15 the captured image and the collectedsound from a data transfer unit included in the portable phone; storingthe transmitted image and sound in a memory card that is inserted in adisplay apparatus disposed within range of the portable phone;transmitting to another party the data stored in the memory card bydesignating a telephone number of a party; and automatically storing thetransmitted data in the memory card inserted in a second apparatus undercontrol of another party, the second apparatus including: a housing inthe form of a desktop computer or a wall-hung display, the housinghaving a slot; a speaker; a display screen disposed on a front surfaceof the housing; a communication card that can be easily insertedmanually into and removed from the slot without the use of tools, thecard being operatively disposed in the slot, a data separator forseparating data received by the card that is operatively disposed in theslot into the audio data and the video data, the data separator beingcoupled with the display screen and the speaker so the separated audiodata are coupled to the speaker and the separated video data aredisplayed on the display screen; the communication card including: adata receiver for receiving audio and video data transmitted from anexternal device via a public communication line; an image capturingdevice for capturing video data; and a sound collector for collectingaudio data; a data combiner for combining the video data captured by theimaging device and the audio data collected by the sound collector forcausing the combined data to be transmitted via a public communicationline; a data transmitter for transmitting the combined data via thepublic communication line.